


HOPE

by CynthicPsycho



Category: HOPE - Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Cats, Cheetahs, Demons, Feral Animals, Gen, Multiple Species, Oncillas, Spirits, Wolves, forest, husky - Freeform, wolf - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-08-25 02:42:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16652755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CynthicPsycho/pseuds/CynthicPsycho
Summary: This is one of my *fairly* new stories, only being a year or so old. It's already a deep part of me so I decided to write it. It's confusing at first but all gets explained.PAGE COUNT - 10





	HOPE

Darius crawled through the underbrush, his sleek coat easily passing through the underbrush. He heard his friends behind him struggle and he turned to find one of them with his paw stuck in a vine. He howled, “Darius! Help!” 

His friends were trying to help remove his friend’s paw from the tangle of vines. His friend, Marrow, was clumsy and constantly got stuck. He sighed, “Marrow, this happens every fucking time we are outside.” 

Jade, another of his friends found a knot and loosened it and his paw was immediately freed. Marrow dipped his head in thanks. Jade turned to Darius, “You’ve had us waiting… what do you want to show us?” 

Darius grinned. “Well. Legend has it that in these parts… there is a ghost train that passes here every decade. It collects the souls of the creatures that have died in the past decade. The last time it was supposedly seen was today, 10 years ago.” 

Jade inquired, “But that’s just a fairy tale to get their children to not wander into the woods…” 

Darius meowed, “That’s what I thought too… Until three days ago.” He pushed his way through a bush to show a set of rusty train tracks. 

Jade’s eyes widened, “Wow! How did you figure this out?”  
Darius smirked, “Oh… Lyro told me about it.” 

Jade faced Lyro. “Why didn’t you tell us?” 

Lyro whimpered, “You wouldn’t believe me!” 

Darius rolled his eyes and headed towards the tracks. He sniffed the cold tracks curiously. He signaled that it was okay, and his friends followed, fascinated by the rusty tracks. Marrow stood on the tracks and bellowed, “I am the ghost train! Fear me!” 

Marrow charged towards Darius and Jade. Darius ducked out of the way, but Jade wasn’t so lucky and got slammed into by Marrow and tumbled into the grass. Marrow laughed but Jade just screeched. 

Lyro helped Jade back up. Lyro asked, “I wonder if the ghost train will come tonight! I don’t think it’d be a good idea to stay out for that.”  
Darius smirked, “We’re not dead! So, don’t worry! It’ll be awesome! Maybe we can go and buy some food! I have Eight coins… enough to get something to eat for all of us!” 

Jade meowed, “I know the best place to get prey! I’ll get us some food!” 

Darius handed over the coins he had been keeping in the tiny pouch in his little bandana. Most creatures had some sort of neck, tail, or paw item to keep their money. His happened to be a bandana. 

Jade took the money and stuffed it into her glove that was on her left back leg. The tiny cheetah ran off to get food. Her long legs making it easy to run back. Darius admired her long strides. Lyro must’ve caught him staring because he asked, “Do you like Jade?” 

Darius shook his head, half to clear his head, half to deny it. “No… I just admire her. I wish I was as fast as her.” 

Lyro grinned, “You like her!” 

Darius retorted, in shock, “No I don’t!” 

 

As they waited for Jade to come back, Lyro messed around with Darius and Marrow joined in. Jade later returned with a few mice and a rabbit. It was sunset, and they waited for a while, eating and playing. 

 

Darius groaned, “Ugh! When is it going to get here?” 

Lyro meowed, “I hear it comes at midnight.” 

Jade rolled her eyes, “You cats and oncillas, thinking that superstitions like that are real.” 

Marrow raised his paw, “I’m a wolf and I believe in it.” Jade meowed, “And Wolves.” 

Darius asked, his anger flaring up, “How does being a cheetah make you smarter?” 

Jade responded, “Well… We have managed to stay in power for over 30 years without anyone questioning it.” 

Marrow rolled his eyes, “Doesn’t make **you** smart.” 

Jade sighed, “Well I’m going home. I need sleep.” 

After she left Darius took off his bandana, rose to his paws and headed onto the tracks. He mocked Jade’s words by meowing, “Look at me! I’m a cat so I must be stupid! Look at me on the tracks!” 

The minute he said that. He felt rumbling. He didn’t know what to think of it. Marrow howled, “Get off the tracks!” 

Darius looked up, confused, but then he heard the blaring of a train. A few young cats appeared, about his age that looked like they were just exploring… but one yelled out, “Help him!” 

The female cat ran over to the rusty tracks but by the time she arrived he spotted a large, rusty train charging forward, with a weird glowing blue mist coming from it. She still tried to grab his paw out but by the time she did, so the train was a few inches away. He closed his eyes… bracing for the hit. 

He expected searing pain and pressure as he got crushed by it… but he only felt wind going through his fur and a sense of weightlessness. He opened his eyes and saw trees whirring past. 

He looked to her side to see the tiny female cat, whimpering quietly, eyes squeezed shut. He couldn’t hear anything over the roar of the engine, but he was confused. He looked up and saw claws hooking into their scruffs and helping them up. 

He couldn’t see the creature just yet. Just black paws with a blue tint and black claws… but they didn’t seem dirty which was odd. But once he could scramble up onto the top of the train he did. 

He was shaking tremendously from the near-death experience. He meowed thanks but turned and stopped. The cat was black with a blue tint and lighter blue on his shoulder with eerie pink pupils and completely black irises and sclera’s. He was spooked by the cat’s strange appearance and his fur stood up on end. 

He helped the other cat up and meowed which echoed, “Stay here. I will explain everything later.” 

They glanced at each other. The other cat started, “What the fuck just happened? Was that a demon controlling the train?” 

Darius shrugged. “I want to get the hell out of here, but I don’t think it would be a good idea to jump.”  
“Well… were probably going to die but I might as well introduce myself. I’m Ginger. I think you’re in my school since I’ve seen you before.” 

He stammered, “Darius… you look a little young to be in 6th grade… maybe 3rd…”  
Ginger got up, “I’m a fucking 12 so shut up! And your 12 too. You’re in my Math Class!” 

Darius sighed, “Shut up. We don’t need this. I’m scared.” 

They went silent for about 15 minutes after that. The train sped past, faster than ever. He wondered where they were going. Ginger seemed a little apprehensive, but she put on a brave face and didn’t seem affected by this. 

After another minute, she meowed, “Well I’m going to try and find a way to get in this train. I wanna see what’s inside!” 

Darius stopped her, “No! The Train’s stopping! Looks like we were the last stop!” 

Ginger sat up, trying to have a good posture almost if she wanted to seem Mature. Once the train stopped, it made Darius lurch forward, nearly falling but Ginger grabbed his tail before he could fall. 

They sat there and quickly the mysterious demon-cat returned. He signaled his tail for them to follow him as he leaped down onto the soft grass. Ginger gladly leaped down but Darius was hesitant. Ginger growled, “Get down here you fucking coward!” 

Darius whimpered but obliged and leaped down. He smashed into the ground, getting dirt and mud onto his brown pelt. Once he opened his eyes he saw Ginger and the demon trotting off. He meowed, “Hey! Wait for me!” 

Once he bounded up he whispered, “You’re okay with this?” 

Ginger remarked, “We aren’t far from home. If some shit goes down I can run.” 

Darius panicked, _but I need to go home! This guy is scary! And why is this girl okay with this?!_

Darius began to run away but the cat howled, “Get back here!” 

His voice echoed and as it did he felt something tugging at his legs. He looked down to find thistle clinging to his thin legs. He tried to keep running but it dragged him back. Ginger seemed to realize in that moment that she was screwed. 

The thistles were pure black and when he touched them they stained his paw with a black imprint. These weren’t regular thistles. Darius growled, “Okay! I’ll stay!” 

The cat smiled, “Good! Now keep following.” 

He kept his head down as he followed, praying for a moment that someone would come to their rescue. He led them to what looked like an abandoned store. It was very tiny, and it looked as if It was on the verge of breaking. 

A cat appeared from its entrance, to be exact, a caracal. They meowed from across the clearing, “Hey! You’re back! And you brought more cats!” 

The demon cat growled, “Be quiet Riptide! You’ll attract everyone in a 10-mile radius with that level of noise!” 

Riptide sighed and signaled for him and Ginger to enter. Once that happened the demon cat dissipated. Riptide meowed, “Come in! I caught some mice if you want any.” 

Ginger leaped forward. Darius yowled, “Do you fucking trust everyone you meet?” 

Riptide laughed, “Nice attitude little dude! But don’t worry! I don’t bite! Unlike that asshole. He’d probably rip your fucking arm off.” 

Darius remarked as he passed, “Do you always talk like that?” 

Riptide chuckled but didn’t respond. He followed them after they entered. There were rows of empty shelves and a cashier at the front. His suspicions were correct. Riptide ran through one empty row and reached a back room. Riptide pushed open the door and they were greeted with an empty tiny room with only a few cleaning items in the corner 

Riptide explained, “This is the storage closet. This is where I found the mice and it’s where I sleep. Sire will probably find somewhere else to keep you until further notice. 

“Sire? Is that the demon cat’s name?” 

Riptide nodded. “Yup! Well, I don’t know his real name… but, that’s what he likes to be called. Something about some dumb legend of the Despair Demon.” 

Ginger whispered to him. “Well Sire is a fucking weirdo.” 

Riptide laughed, “I can hear you!” 

Ginger froze. Riptide continued, “Well most say that. He is strange.” 

Ginger sighed in relief. Riptide asked, “May I ask your names? I don’t think I caught them.” 

Darius forced himself to speak up. “M-my name’s Darius.” 

Ginger responded with her name bluntly. Riptide smiled. “Nice names. So, which city or town did you come from… let me guess… Chiciro? That’s where I came from and a lot of cats are calicos and tabbies over there.” 

Darius shook his head, “No. Yecare. Although my mother is from Chiciro.” 

Ginger piped up, “I was born in Urisque but I moved to Yecare when I was 8.” 

Riptide mewed, “Ooh! I lived in Chiciro but I have Urisque and Tietra blood.” 

Ginger inquired, “Where are we now though?” 

Riptide replied bluntly, “Recera.” 

“Recera?!? But that’s far from Yecare!” 

Riptide mewed, “Not that far... where are you from in Yecare?” 

Darius mewed nervously, “Central Yecare…” 

Riptide reassured him, “Calm down it’s only about a 5-7 day walk from here to Central Yecare. We are only in North-Eastern Yecare.” 

Darius exclaimed, “That’s a week!!! Why are we here anyway?” 

Riptide averted his gaze… “Uhhh… You’ll know soon!” He awkwardly meowed. 

Ginger sighed, “Great… we’re stuck in this shitty room.” 

Riptide retorted, “Hey! I live here! This is my home!” 

Ginger’s eyes widened and was about to speak but she heard the door open. Sire growled, “I’m back. Did you behave Riptide?” 

Riptide bowed his head, “Yeah. I wouldn’t ever hurt children.” 

Sire looked down at Ginger and Darius. Darius’ fur stood on end and he trembled. Ginger snarled, “What the hell do you want from us!?!” 

Sire growled, “Don’t growl at your elders! Besides, you need to follow me.” 

Sire swerved into another room that was much larger. It was empty and dusty except for some vines that grew on the walls. Ginger followed, and Darius followed behind. He wanted to run but he knew it was probably a bad idea. 

Sire headed towards the back and paused. He turned to them to see if they were still there. “Darian… is it?” 

“D-Darius… sir.” 

“Ah. Okay. Well, come closer, you don’t have to be scared.” 

Darius took a few steps but then he raised his head, “Wait a minute, what do you want from us?! We’re just kids! What could you possibly need with us! I want to go home.” 

Sire mewed, “I just take whoever I find… they don’t need to be kids… although it is easier to teach kids.” 

Ginger groaned, “Are you some creepy teacher trying to get students for an academy? If so, I’m not interested.” 

Darius was in front of Sire while Ginger sat to the side. Sire reached out his paw and a small spark arose from the pad. Sire examined it. He mewed, “This is a spark of a soul. They tend to be the color of your eyes or on rare occasions… your fur. Due to the color of the soul… this is a spark of Darius’ soul.” 

Darius’ eyes widened. He stepped closer and Sire stretched out his paw to show him. He observed the spark. “Woah. It’s pretty!” 

Darius suddenly felt himself lurch forward. He looked up, even though he felt his energy draining. He saw the small spark engulf into a large, glowing, sphere-like shape. His paws felt weak and he began to tremble and fall to the ground. 

Ginger had run over and was trying to hold him up. He felt himself grow weary and even the effort of breathing felt excruciating. He felt his heartbeat begin to slow and his lungs stop filling with air. He let out a sigh before letting his legs give in.


End file.
